The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for fastening an article of footwear, or a foot, to a binding.
Binding systems for soft snowboard boots typically include one or more binding straps for securing a boot to a snowboard. For example, a binding may include an ankle strap and a toe strap, each of which include two strap portions that, when separated, provide an opening for the rider to place his or her foot into the binding base. The strap portions may then be joined together and tightened around the boot to securely hold the boot to the binding base.
Strap portions may be joined together by a variety of different fasteners, such as ratchet-type buckles that are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,416,952 and 5,745,959, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. In a typical binding strap having a ratchet-type buckle, the buckle is mounted on a first strap portion and releasably engages with a second strap portion. The second strap portion may include a rack of teeth or serrations on a surface to engage with the ratchet buckle. The ratchet buckle may include a drive lever to incrementally draw the first and second strap portions together.
Easy use of the straps may be important to a rider as a day of riding may involve numerous occurrences of releasing and re-securing the boot binding straps. The inventors have recognized that the fastening of the two binding strap portions together may be difficult while wearing gloves or mittens, especially for children, since the buckle must be accurately positioned with one hand while the strap is then aimed and precisely advanced into the buckle with the other hand. Also, cold weather may reduce a rider""s dexterity and/or stiffen the straps and, therefore, impair his or her ability to easily fasten two strap portions to one another.
One illustrative embodiment of the invention provides a system for binding a foot or footwear to a gliding implement. The system includes a base, mountable to the gliding implement, having an opening adapted to receive the foot or footwear. A stiff elongated foot or footwear binding strap portion and an elongated foot or footwear binding engagement member are adapted to be mounted to the base. A hand holdable fastener is mounted to the stiff elongated strap portion and arranged to secure the elongated engagement member so that the stiff elongated strap portion and the elongated engagement member cooperate to form a variable length binding member extending across the opening. The fastener is arranged for movement independent of said stiff elongated strap portion, to which it is mounted, in at least two degrees of freedom.
In another illustrative embodiment, a strap sub-assembly that is mountable to a foot supporting implement, such as an article of footwear or a footwear binding, is provided. The strap sub-assembly can cooperate with a separate engagement member to provide a variable length strap for engaging at least a portion of a foot or footwear. The sub-assembly includes a strap constructed and arranged for mounting to the foot supporting implement, and is conformable to the shape of a region of the foot or footwear against which it may be forcibly tightened to secure the foot or footwear to the foot supporting implement. A hinge-type connection is attached to the strap, and a fastener having an entrance for receiving an end of an engagement member is attached to the hinge-type connection. The hinge type connection is not required for operation of the fastener to engage with the engagement member.
In another illustrative embodiment, a strap sub-assembly that is mountable to a foot supporting implement, such as an article of footwear or a footwear binding, is provided. The strap sub-assembly can cooperate with a separate engagement member to provide a variable length strap for engaging at least a portion of the foot or footwear. The sub-assembly includes a first strap portion constructed and arranged for mounting to the foot supporting implement, and is conformable to the shape of a region of the foot or footwear against which it may be forcibly tightened about to secure the foot or footwear to the foot supporting implement. A fastener is attached to the first strap portion so that the fastener may be spaced from the first strap portion and entirely grasped in one hand without grasping the first strap portion.
In another illustrative embodiment, a strap sub-assembly that is mountable to a foot supporting implement, such as an article of footwear or a footwear binding, is provided. The strap sub-assembly can cooperate with a separate engagement member to provide a variable length strap for engaging at least a portion of the foot or footwear. The sub-assembly includes a first elongated strap having a portion thereof that is constructed and arranged for mounting to the foot supporting implement, and is conformable to the shape of a region of the foot or footwear against which it may be forcibly tightened about. A fastener, having an entrance for receiving an end of the engagement member, is mounted to said first elongated strap so that said entrance extends beyond an end of said first elongated strap.
In another illustrative embodiment, a method for fastening two straps together includes placing an article of footwear into a binding, grasping a fastener with one hand, the fastener being attached to an associated first strap, and grasping a second strap with another hand. The fastener is moved without substantially moving the first strap in preparation for engaging the second strap with the fastener, and the second strap is engaged with the fastener.
In another illustrative embodiment, a strap sub-assembly that is mountable to a foot supporting implement, such as an article of footwear or a footwear binding, is provided. The strap sub-assembly can cooperate with a separate engagement member to provide a variable length strap for engaging at least a portion of the foot or footwear. The sub-assembly includes a first elongated strap having a portion thereof that is constructed and arranged for mounting to the foot supporting implement, and is conformable to the shape of a region of the foot or footwear against which it may be forcibly tightened about. A fastener, having an entrance for receiving an end of the engagement member, includes a guide element located forwardly and upwardly of the entrance.
In another illustrative embodiment, a strap sub-assembly that is mountable to a foot supporting implement, such as an article of footwear or a footwear binding, is provided. The strap sub-assembly can cooperate with a separate engagement member to provide a variable length strap for engaging at least a portion of the foot or footwear. The sub-assembly includes a first stiff elongated strap having a portion thereof that is constructed and arranged for mounting to the foot supporting implement, and is conformable to the shape of a region of the foot or footwear against which it may be forcibly tightened about. A fastener, having a frame, is constructed and arranged to secure the stiff engagement member at various locations along the length thereof. A flexible hinge member is connected at a first end to the first stiff elongated strap, has a portion passing through an opening in the frame, and is connected at a second end to the first stiff elongated strap. The fastener is flexibly mounted to said first stiff elongated strap by the flexible hinge member so that said fastener is moveable independent of said first stiff elongated strap in at least two degrees of freedom, facilitating introduction of said stiff engagement member to said fastener.